How to Achieve Texture Effects on UHPC Shaped Surfaces through Molds: Key Techniques and Process Methods

In the field of contemporary architectural design, UHPC (Ultra-High Performance Concrete), with its outstanding mechanical properties and exceptional formability, has become a core material for shaping the artistic expression of building skins. Whether the texture effects on UHPC sculptural surfaces can accurately convey the design intent depends critically on mold technology. As an industry leader with 28 years of full-chain experience in UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials, Qinglong Group has accumulated extensive experience in mold R&D and process practice. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the mold-based realization of UHPC sculptural textures, offering professional technical reference for designers and owners.

**1. Mold Design: Source Control of Texture Precision**

The presentation of UHPC textures begins with the precision design of molds. Qinglong's technical team combines parametric design software (such as Rhino and Grasshopper) with BIM technology to translate designers' texture concepts into digital models. Taking the translucent concrete project of the Nanjing East Road Century Plaza renovation as an example, for a water-ripple texture with 0.5mm precision, reverse modeling based on 3D scanning technology ensured that the depth, angle, and spacing errors of every texture line on the mold surface were controlled within ±0.1mm. For complex relief or openwork textures, modular mold design is adopted, ensuring shape consistency while improving production efficiency. This technology helped Qinglong win the AALBORG WHITE Cup UHPC Construction Engineering Innovation Award.

**2. Mold Materials: Guaranteeing Texture Durability**

The choice of mold material directly affects texture reproduction and service life. Qinglong has established a graded material selection system based on texture complexity and production scale: for fine textures (such as simulated stone lychee finish and wood grain), imported epoxy resin molds are used, with surface smoothness reaching Ra0.8μm, ensuring clear, flawless textures after UHPC casting; for large-sized, repeatedly used standard textured components (such as the horizontal stripes of UHPC exterior wall cladding panels), high-strength steel molds and aluminum alloy composite molds are selected, combined with nano-grade release agents, achieving single-cast forming and more than 500 reuse cycles. This material solution was validated in the GRC project of the Dongguan Women and Children's Activity Center, successfully achieving batch precision replication of classical relief textures.

**3. Casting Process: Dynamic Optimization of Texture Details**

The static precision of molds must be perfectly presented through dynamic casting processes. Qinglong's original combined process of “vacuum casting + high-frequency vibration” uses a -0.08MPa vacuum environment to remove air bubbles after the UHPC slurry is injected into the mold, followed by 200Hz high-frequency vibration to allow the slurry to fully penetrate texture details. For ultra-deep textures (depth >10mm) or complex curved surfaces, layered casting and stepped vibration are adopted to prevent material shortage or edge collapse at texture edges. In addition, by controlling slurry fluidity (flow spread controlled at 750±50mm) and the curing regime (90℃ steam curing for 48 hours), textures are ensured not to develop shrinkage deformation during hardening. This process standard has been incorporated into the industry standard “General Technical Conditions for Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) Non-Load-Bearing Components,” which Qinglong participated in formulating.

**4. Quality Control: Full-Process Supervision of Texture Consistency**

As a National High-Tech Enterprise and a Specialized and Innovative Enterprise, Qinglong has established a full-process quality control system covering mold acceptance, slurry proportioning, and finished product inspection. Every batch of molds must undergo precision verification through 3D laser scanning; any texture error exceeding 0.3mm is immediately returned to the factory for correction. RFID chip traceability technology is used during production to record the mold number, casting parameters, and curing data of each component. In the finished product inspection stage, spectrophotometers and texture depth gauges are used to ensure that the texture color difference of components in the same batch is ΔE≤3 and the depth deviation is ≤0.5mm. This rigorous quality control system has enabled Qinglong's UHPC/GRC products to be widely applied in domestic landmark projects and exported to overseas markets such as Australia and Saudi Arabia.

From digital design to industrial production, mold technology is the core engine for realizing UHPC sculptural textures. With 28 years of technical accumulation and continuous innovation, Qinglong Group deeply integrates mold craftsmanship with material properties, providing a full-chain solution for building skin art from concept to implementation. In the future, with the introduction of technologies such as 3D printed molds and intelligent temperature control, the expressiveness of UHPC textures will further break through boundaries, injecting more possibilities into the mission of “Creating Aesthetic Architecture.”